Glass container forming machine

ABSTRACT

A takeout grips a formed bottle at a blow station of an I.S. machine and releases the bottle onto a conveyor and returns to grip the second bottle formed in the blow station following the bottle removed by the takeout.

[0001] The present invention relates to I.S. (individual section) glassforming machines which form a parison at a blank station and then at ablow station, first blow the parison and then cool the blown parison toform a bottle and more particularly to the structure for blowing theparison and cooling the blown parison into a bottle and then cooling thebottle to a temperature below the annealing point so that the bottle canthen be quickly cooled to room temperature.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The blowing operation is effected by a blow head. Conventionallythe blow head is brought into position on top of (engaging) a blow moldat the blow station and provides air (“final blow”) under pressurethrough a downwardly extending blow tube to the interior of the parisonto blow the parison into contact with the interior of the blow mold. Theparison could also be formed with vacuum or with a vacuum assist. Theblown parison must then be formed into a bottle, i.e., cooled to thepoint where it is rigid enough to be gripped and removed from the blowstation by a takeout mechanism. The outer surface of the blown parisonis cooled by cooling the blow molds and the inner surface of the blownparison is cooled by the final blow air which continues to flow into theblown parison. U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,833 discloses a state of the art blowhead. Conventionally the cooling air escapes from the interior of thebottle through a permanently open exhaust. The size of the exhaust willbe defined as a balance between inlet and outlet.

[0003] Before a conventional takeout can be displaced from a remotelocation to a pick up location proximate the top of the formed bottle,the blow head, including the blow tube, must be displaced away from theblow mold. This displacement must be at least to a position where itwill not interfere with an inwardly moving takeout. To speed up thesesteps, U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,419, proposes a combined blow head andtakeout mechanism. This mechanism permits the operation of takeout jawsas soon as the blow head, which engages the top of the blow molds duringfinal blow, is slightly elevated, with the blow tube remaining fullyextended and operating, following the formation of the bottle. Thetakeout jaws immediately reseal the blow head. The internal cooling ofthe bottle will accordingly continue as if the blow head was in place ontop of the blow mold while the bottle is removed from the blow mold andcarried to a dead plate on which it will be deposited. The cooling ofthe outer surface of the formed bottle stops with the opening of theblow molds.

[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,557, discloses a dead plate arrangement forblowing cooling air around the bottle to provide additional outersurface cooling on the deadplate. U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,183 discloses adual takeout mechanism which functions to alternately remove bottlesfrom the blow station placing half on one output conveyor and the otherhalf on a second output conveyor.

[0005] In all of these systems, the bottles once removed from thedeadplate, will be conveyed into a Lehr which utilizes a series ofburners to immediately reheat the bottles to a uniform highertemperature and then allows the bottles to cool slowly before beingdischarged from the Lehr.

[0006] Formed bottles have also been tempered in separate machinery byreheating the bottles and then simultaneously cooling the inner andouter glass surfaces (see for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,309,290).

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0007] It is an object of this invention to provide an I.S. machinewhich more effectively removes heat from the blown parison/formedbottle.

[0008] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following portion of this specification and from theaccompanying drawings which illustrate in accordance with the mandate ofthe patent statutes a presently preferred embodiment incorporating theprinciples of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a blow head mechanism made inaccordance with the teachings of the present invention;

[0010]FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic cross sectional view of the blow headof the blow head mechanism shown in FIG. 1;

[0011]FIG. 3 shows a time versus pressure curve for the operating blowhead

[0012]FIG. 4 shows a logic diagram for the operation of the blow headmechanism shown in FIG. 1;

[0013]FIG. 5 is an enlarged elevational view in section of the blow headat the exhaust position;

[0014]FIG. 6 shows an elevational view in cross section of the blow headmechanism made in accordance with the teachings of the presentinvention;

[0015]FIG. 7 shows a view of the cooling tube shown in FIG. 6 taken at7-7 thereof;

[0016]FIG. 8 is an elevational sectional view of the bottom of thecooling tube;

[0017]FIG. 9 is a view taken at 9-9 of FIG. 8,

[0018]FIG. 10 is a first displacement profile illustrating the verticaldisplacement of the cooling tube during the blowing and cooling of theparison to form a bottle;

[0019]FIG. 11 is a second displacement profile illustrating the verticaldisplacement of the cooling tube during the blowing of the parison andthe cooling of the parison to form a bottle; and

[0020]FIG. 12 is a logic diagram illustrating the application of thedisplacement profile illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11.

[0021]FIG. 13 shows a perspective view of a takeout mechanism made inaccordance with the teachings of the present invention;

[0022]FIG. 14 shows an elevational view in section of the takeoutmechanism shown in FIG. 13;

[0023]FIG. 15 is a view taken at 15-15 of FIG. 14;

[0024] FIGS. 16-21 illustrate one of the pair of synchronizedtakeout/deadplate mechanisms of the present invention moving through asingle cycle;

[0025]FIG. 22 is a view taken at 22-22 of FIG. 21; and

[0026] FIGS. 23-28 illustrate the synchronizm of a pair of takeoutassemblies with their associated deadplate mechanisms;

[0027]FIG. 29 is an oblique view of a the deadplate mechanism shown inFIGS. 16-21;

[0028]FIG. 30 is an oblique view of the mechanism for opening andclosing the can doors;

[0029]FIG. 31 is a logic diagram illustrating the operation of thetemperature sensor; and

[0030]FIG. 32 is a temperature vs. position curve for the formed bottle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0031]FIG. 1 shows a blow head mechanism 10 of the blow station of anI.S. machine. A triple gob machine is illustrated, and three blow molds12 arranged side by side are shown. A blow head arm 16 supports threeblow heads 18. The blow head arm 16 is mounted on a vertical post 20coupled to an electronic (servo) motor 22 which causes the blow head armto move up and down. The post also rotates via a scroll cam (not shown)defined in a housing 24. Such up and down and rotary movement of thepost 20 causes the blow heads 18 to be displaced between a retracted“off” position and an advanced “on” position, as shown in FIG. 1, atwhich the blow heads 18 engage the top of the blow molds 12. Theoperation of the servomotor is controlled by a control C (26). Air underpressure is supplied from a suitable source 27 to a pressure regulator P(29) which will set the desired pressure for final blow as defined bythe control C/26.

[0032] A blow head 18 is shown diagrammatically, in section, in FIG. 2.The blow head 18 has an air inlet 34 leading to a blow tube 36 whichextends downwardly into the parison 38. The blow head surrounds thefinish 40 of the parison. Final blow air blows the parison and thencools the interior surface of the blown parison. Air exhausts upwardlybetween the blow tube 36 and the parison into a chamber 41 and outthrough an adjustable exhaust 42. A pressure sensor 44 is arranged tomonitor the air pressure in the chamber 41 (closely related to thepressure of the air within the parison).

[0033]FIG. 3 shows changes that have been discovered in the pressure Pin the chamber 41 vs. time T plot. At about T1 seconds (0.05 seconds,for example) after the time T0 when blowing pressure is applied throughthe air inlet 34, the pressure in the chamber begins to rise. Thepressure increases to an initial high P1 and drops to P2 (it is believedthat this occurs as the parison rapidly expands). At T2 (0.15 seconds,for example) the parison is blown against the blow mold and the pressureonce again increases until it reaches a steady state pressure P3 whichcontinues until the blow head is removed more than one second followingthe application of final blow. The pressure sensor 44 supplies data tothe control C (26). While the curve has been discussed relative theblowing of the parison with pressure, it would be the same with vacuumassist or with the blowing of the parison with negative pressure (i.e.,vacuum).

[0034] The control first functions to Displace The Blow Head To The “On”Position And Set Blow Head Air Pressure To “Final Blow” Pressure 50.“Final blow” pressure can be selectively set and is a pressure that willresult in the parison being properly blown. Conventionally, “final blow”air is supplied from 20-30 PSI. Higher pressure will result in adefective bottle. Pressure is applied for a time T2 which is the timerequired to blow the parison (until the query “Has Time T2 Passed” 52 isanswered in the affirmative) The operator may empirically define andInput T2 54. Alternatively the control can “Determine T2” 56 bydetermining the location of the negative peak (a local minimum) at P2(This negative peak may be slightly delayed from the instant when thebottle is fully blown and a correction could then be applied). Inpractice T2 could be periodically determined with the control receivingupdated T2 input. The operator may also reduce T2 if he finds that theblowing of the parison will not be effected. With the parison blown, thecontrol will “Raise The Blow Head “X” And Set Blow Head Air Pressure To“Internal Cooling” Pressure” 58 (X and “internal Cooling ” Pressure canbe selectively set). This second “on” position is the escape position.The cooling flow is no longer limited by the size of the blow headexhaust. The volume of cooling flow for the remaining second or morebefore the blow head is turned “off” will be very substantiallyincreased. “Internal cooling” air, can be supplied at a pressure whichis substantially higher than final blow air For example internal coolingair can be supplied at 45 PSI since this is a commonly available airsupply. Internal cooling air will be supplied at a pressure sufficientto maintain at least a minimum desired pressure within the bottle. Thiscooling flow could continue until time T3 (until the query “Has Time T3Passed?” 60) is answered in the affirmative whereupon the control will“Displace The Blow Head To The “Off” Position” 62.

[0035] When the blow head is lifted the vertical distance “X” to theescape position (FIG. 5), exhaust air will be directed by theselectively concavely contoured annular recess surface 63 of theinterior opening of the lower portion of the blow head to direct coolingair at the outer vertical surface of the finish.

[0036] Each blow head (FIG. 6) has a central axial hole 70 configured tomatingly receive the blow tube 34. The blow tube is displaceablevertically but is restrained from rotating by a pair of guide keys 72which engage opposed flats 74 FIG.7) on the outer diameter of the blowtube. The top end portion 76 of the blow tube is cylindrical andthreaded having an outer diameter larger then the spacing betweenopposed flats and the keys accordingly function as a down stop for theblow tube. A blow tube support and drive assembly 78 is mounted on thetop surface 79 of the blow head arm with a number of screws 80. Theassembly has an air manifold 82 including a link 84 communicating with afinal blow air duct 85 in the arm, an overhead distribution manifold 86and three air distribution legs 88 which depend vertically from theoverhead distribution manifold.

[0037] Located within each distribution leg is the top portion 90 of adrive member 92 having a threaded internal diameter 94 extendingdownwardly through the top portion, through a driven gear portion 96 andthen through a lower portion 98 which extends downwardly through theblow head mounting assembly 100. The O.D. of the drive member 92 isrotatably supported by three bearings 102. The internal thread of thedrive member I.D. threadedly receives the threaded top end portion 76 ofthe blow tube and vertical displacement of the blow tube willaccordingly result whenever the driven gear portion 96 is rotated.Rotation will be controlled by an electronic motor 104 coupled to adrive gear 106. The drive gear engages adjacent driven gear portions ofthe left two driven gear portions to drive the left two drive members 92and an idler gear 108 between the right hand pair of driven gearportions 96 drives the right hand drive member.

[0038] The bottom of the blow tube 34 (FIG. 8) has an annular relief 110defined in the I.D. The annular upper collar 111 (which is supported byan “X” frame 112) of an air deflector assembly 114, is press fit intothe annular relief. Integral with and suspended from the frame 112 is adeflector 116 having an annular concave surface 118 that will divert aportion of the downwardly directed air stream radially outwardly towardsthe outer wall of the blown parison with the remainder flowingdownwardly FIG. 6 shows the blown parison which when cooled becomes abottle 10 and shows the blow mold 12 which includes a bottom plate 11and a pair of mold halves 12 a, 12 b.

[0039]FIG. 10 illustrates an illustrative displacement profile for theblow tube which will blow and cool the parison. The blow head isdisplaced to the “on” position with the blow tube at the “up” position(T1). The blow tube is then rapidly accelerated to a maximum velocity(V1) and held at that velocity until T2. The blow tube is thendecelerated to a lower velocity V2 at T3 and held at that velocity untilT4 when it is decelerated to a stop at its “down” position (T5). Theblow tube will then remain at the “down” position until T6. The blowtube will then follow the same profile returning the blow tube to a stopat the “up” position. The blow head can then be removed and the moldsopened. The displacement profile will be selected to achieve the desiredcooling of the inner surface of the blown parison, i.e., the motionprofile is configured to co-ordinate with the cooling requirements ofthe container. This co-ordination can be a co-ordination based on theheat times the mass of the bottle. As shown in FIG. 6, the bottle has along neck which has less glass to cool then the body of the bottle. Andif the bottle was formed in a blow and blow process, the body of thebottle will be hotter relative to the long neck. As a result thevelocity of the blow tube as it proceeds along the neck portion iscoordinated with the heat pattern of the bottle (the amount of heatenergy desired to be removed along the bottle) and is much fastertraversing the long neck than is the velocity traversing the body.Accordingly more cooling will be directed to the body where it isneeded. Where the bottom of the formed parison is thicker, even morecooling will be required and the dwell (T6-T5) at the bottom will resultin a lot of cooling air being directed at the bottom. Cooling air willcontinue to rise up along the body and neck to achieve additionalcooling when the blow tube is at the bottom (this will also happen atany vertical position). FIG. 11 illustrates a variant displacementprofile where the blow tube makes three cycles while the parison isblown and cooled. This co-ordination could also be a function of theshape of the bottle. For example the bottle might have a bulge whichwould not be effectively cooled by cooling air flowing upwardly from anozzle located below the bulge. In this situation like the above coolingof a thicker base the displacement of the cooling nozzle might be eitherstopped at this bulge to allow more cooling air to be directed into thebulge or slowed down as it displaced upwardly across the bulge to thesame effect. The forming process will also be relevant to thisco-ordination. Thickness of the glass as a function of height may vary.In a blow and blow process the upper portion of a container will tend tobe colder than the bottom portion and vice versa for a bottle formed ina press and blow process.

[0040]FIG. 12 illustrates a logic diagram for controlling thedisplacement with different cycles during the time when a parison isblown and cooled. Here the operator inputs the number “N” of cyclesdesired. The control will Define Time Blow Head “Off” —Time Blow Head“On” 120, proceeds to Divide By “N” To Define Cycle Time 122 and thenproceeds to Scale Blow Tube Displacement Profile For Cycle Time 124.

[0041] While the blown parison/formed bottle is in the blow moldexternal cooling will be effected by blowing cooling air through aseries of circumferentially located cooling holes 19 defined in the blowmolds which are supplied by an air plenum 21 to which the mold bottomplate 11 is secured.

[0042] A takeout mechanism is schematically illustrated in FIG. 13.Three bottles 10 which were formed in blow molds at the blow station areshown standing on the bottom plate 11 of an associated blow mold pair 12a,12 b shown in the open position. The illustrated machine is a triplegob machine and accordingly three bottles 10 were formed. Once the moldsare opened, a takeout assembly 140 of a takeout mechanism 150 grips thebottles. The takeout mechanism also includes a three axis support 160for the takeout assembly that is suspended from a beam 170 thattraverses the machine, i.e., spans the 6,8,10,12,16, etc., individualsections of the machine. The three axis support, which includes an Xaxis drive 180, a Y axis drive 190 and Z axis drive 200, can take agreat variety of forms including the form shown in U.S. Pat. No.4,892,183, which is incorporated by reference herein.

[0043] The takeout assembly has, at each bottle location, a blow tube 34(FIG. 14). The blow tube support and drive assembly is the same as forthe blow head mechanism except that the drive members 92 end at thedriven gear portion and the guide keys 132 extend downwardly from thetop wall 133 of the gripper housing 134 proximate the blow tube holes135.

[0044] The takeout assembly also has a manifold housing 141 including anoverhead distribution manifold 142 and three air distribution legs 143which depend vertically from the overhead distribution manifold. Finalblow (this includes air for final blow and/or internal cooling)depending on how the parison is being formed) air F.B./144 is suppliedto the distribution manifold via a selectively controlled valve 145.

[0045] The base 164 of the manifold housing 141 is bolted onto the topwall 33 of the gripper housing 134 with a number of screws 165 with thedriven gear portions 96, the drive gear 106 and the idler 108 located ina chamber located between the base of the manifold housing and the topwall of the gripper housing. The manifold housing has a pair of guidetubes 166 extending vertically upwardly from the top of the manifoldhousing which receive vertical guide rods 168 which are part of the Zaxis drive 20.

[0046] As can be seen from FIG. 14, the gripper housing may start as asolid block. A through slot 171 having opposed horizontal keyways 172 isdefined at each bottle location extending from the front of the gripperhousing to the rear thereof. These slots receive front and back gripperbrackets 174 (FIG. 15) each of which has integral vertical front 175 andhorizontal bottom 176 panels extending completely across the gripperhousing and vertical transverse (front to back) panels 178 which includehorizontal keys 179 which are received by the keyways 172. The verticalfront panels 175 are open 177 between the vertical transverse panels toallow easy flow of the air from the interior of the bottle toatmosphere. Secured within each of a pair of through holes 173 whichextend through the gripper housing from the front to the back of thehousing is a double acting cylinder 181 including opposed piston and rodassemblies 182. A pair of screws 183 connect each gripper bar to thepiston rods 184 on the side of the gripper bar and compression springs186, located between the piston and the cylinder housing will normallymaintain the gripper bars at the closed position. A locating plate 187is secured to the front panel of the gripper bracket with a rodreceiving hole 188 to locate the axis of the rod. Air under pressure issupplied via a valve 191 from a source of gripper air G.A./192 to thecenter of each cylinder to open the gripper bars. The gripper bars mayhave selectively sized semicircular inserts (not shown) so that theclosed gripper bars will grip the formed bottles on the finish of thebottles.

[0047] FIGS. 16-22 schematically illustrate how three bottles that havejust been formed in the blow station of a triple gob I.S. machinestanding ready for pick-up (with the blow molds withdrawn) aresequentially processed by a takeout assembly. The takeout assembly willremove bottles from the blow station and deposit them on a conveyor 15and the bottles will then be conveyed into a cooling tunnel 17 (thetunnel will isolate the hot air from an operator who may have to enterthe space between the conveyors to service either the conveyor or themachine). The takeout assembly 140 is shown in FIG. 16 at the firstdeadplate position. Bottles have been formed in the blow molds 12. Themolds open and the takeout assembly moves longitudinally to the pickuplocation shown in FIG. 17 where the formed bottles will be gripped Thegripped bottles will be removed from the pickup position and carriedback to the first deadplate position (FIG. 18). In the event that thebottles are to be rejected, the gripper jaws can be opened at the firstdeadplate position to drop the rejected bottles into a cullet removalchute 13. The gripped bottles, supported at the blow station, aresupported next to doorways or openings in associated cooling cans 220which are supported on a deadplate mechanism 240 which is at its parkposition. The deadplate mechanism now moves horizontally, transverselytowards the gripped bottles to the first deadplate position (until thegripped bottles are supported centrally within their associated coolingcan) and the doors of the cooling cans are then closed (this is shownwith the circle of the cooling can being a closed circle) FIG. 19. Thetakeout assembly and the deadplate mechanism then conjointlyhorizontally transversely move to a conveyor location adjacent a first,right side conveyor 15 (FIG. 20), the cooling can doors open and thetakeout assembly then moves transversely away from the deadplatemechanism (FIG. 21) and then vertically downwardly from the up positionto the down, deposit position (FIG. 22) to place the gripped bottles onthe conveyor whereupon they will be released. The takeout is thenreturned to the up position and the deadplate mechanism and the takeoutassembly will then be conjointly transversely displaced back to theirinitial positions shown in FIG. 16. Again the takeout can be displacedwith sequential or simultaneous x and y movements. When molds are to bechanged, both deadplate mechanisms can be displaced to the conveyorlocation to open up space for the operator.

[0048] With the bottles (Bottles No. 1) removed from the blow station(FIG. 18), an invert mechanism (not shown) will deliver formed parisonsto the blow station and the blow molds will close The parison will beblown and cooled to form a bottle (FIG. 19) and the molds will open sothat the sequentially formed bottles (Bottles No. 2) can be removed(FIG. 20) by a second takeout assembly. This forming process will berepeated with the next formed bottles (Bottles No. 3) being removed bythe first takeout assembly. The synchronous movements of the firsttakeout assembly and its associated deadplate mechanism and the secondtakeout assembly and its associated deadplate mechanism are illustratedin FIGS. 23-28.

[0049] During the time when the first takeout assembly is at the firstdeadplate position (FIG. 23), is displaced to the pickup position (FIG.24) to grip a bottle, returns with the gripped bottles to the firstdeadplate position (FIG. 25), and waits for the first deadplatemechanism to move to the first deadplate position to capture the bottlesand close the cooling can doors (FIG. 26), the second takeout assemblyand second deadplate mechanism are located at the conveyor locationadjacent a second, left side conveyor with bottles formed in theprevious cycle located within the cans with the can doors closed. Beforethe first takeout assembly and first deadplate mechanism are displacedconjointly to the conveyor location adjacent the first conveyor (FIG.27), the doors to the cans of the second deadplate mechanism open andthe second takeout assembly is transversely displaced to displace thegripped bottles to a deposit location over the second conveyor whereuponthe second takeout assembly is lowered from the up deposit location to adown deposit location to locate the gripped bottles proximate the secondconveyor. The gripped bottles are released and the second takeoutassembly is raised to the up deposit location. As the first takeoutassembly and first deadplate mechanism are displaced from the firstdeadplate position to the conveyor position proximate the firstconveyor, the second takeout assembly and second deadplate mechanism areconjointly displaced to their start locations (FIG. 28) to start theircycle again removing the next bottles (Bottles No. 2) formed in the blowstation.

[0050] The basic cycle now repeats with the roles reversed for the firsttakeout assembly/deadplate mechanisms and the second takeoutassembly/deadplate mechanism with the first takeout assembly/deadplateassembly returning to their start locations to receive the next formedbottles (Bottles No. 3). While the displacement of the takeout arm fromthe conveyor location to the pick up location is shown with sequential Xand Y movements it should be understood that such movements could occursimultaneously.

[0051]FIGS. 29 and 30 illustrate a deadplate mechanism which has aplenum chamber 194 which is supplied cooling air C.A./195 controlled bya selectively actuated valve V/196. Cooling air is available throughoutthe entire period during which a bottle is located within a can and forlonger periods to cool the can either before or after a bottle islocated within the can. Cooling air enters the cans 220 through holes198 in the top surface 199 of the plenum chamber blowing up against thebottom of a bottle supported above the top surface by a takeout assemblyand up the space between the suspended bottle and the inside wall 101 ofthe can, leaving the can through the can opening 103 at the top of thecan. The plenum chamber is supported for Y-axis displacement by suitablerods 105 and is displaced by a Y-axis drive 107. FIG. 21 schematicallyillustrates the door displacement mechanism for the deadplate mechanismcans. The doors 109 are coaxially mounted on a gear ( a worm gear forexample) 206 which is supported for rotation about its axis. Operativelyconnected with each gear is a worm (for example) 208 which is displacedby a drive 209 having a motor 210 connected to the worm via a rotary tolinear converter 212 (alternates such as rack and pinions may be used).

[0052] The interior surface of a can is configured so that cooling airadmitted into the can through the bottom inlet holes 198 in the topsurface of the plenum chamber will follow the surface of the bottleduring its passage to the exit hole 103. Air flow to a can will occur asdesired to achieve the cooling of the bottle but in the preferredembodiment air flow is continuous from the time a bottle enters a can tothe time a bottle leaves the can.

[0053] A temperature sensor 125 secured to one or more of the cansprovides temperature data which should be stable over time (data wouldbe compared at the same point in the cycle). The control C/26 whichreceives this data determines whether “Sensed Temperature At Can T°+/−X° ” 126 (T and X can be manually or automatically inputted) andwhere the answer is answered in the negative, the control will “RejectThe Bottles” 127. Where the cullet chute is located in the center, thedeadplate mechanism can be displaced back to its ready position, thedoors of the can can be opened, the takeout can be displaced to aposition over the cullet chute and the bottles can be released.

[0054] The blow tube will be oscillated between the up and downpositions with a displacement profile matched to the coolingrequirements of the bottle from the moment the takeout assembly islowered to its bottle gripping position until the gripped bottle isdeposited onto the conveyor. As with the blowhead a convenient algorithmfor defining this oscillation is shown in FIG. 12 and numerous cycleswill occur while the bottle is gripped by a takeout assembly.

[0055] Referring to FIG. 32 which tracks the thermal energy of theobject along the glass forming process, it can be seen that the thermalenergy continuously decreases from the time the parison is blown in theblow mold to the time the bottle is discharged from the cooling tunnel.Thermal energy is first removed by the internal cooling of the blownparison within the blow mold and the conjoint cooling of the blownparison by the blow molds. Cooling then continues from the time a bottleis gripped by a takeout assembly to the time it is deposited on aconveyor and then cooling occurs as the bottle proceeds along theconveyor.

[0056] As can be seen from FIG. 31, the thermal energy of the bottle hasbeen reduced to the point where the bottle is fully tempered before itis deposited on the conveyor and accordingly further cooling canaccordingly take place at a rapid rate without causing defects in thecontainer. Referring to FIG. 16, conveyor cooling which may be within atunnel or not. Cooling would continue for a distance that would be muchshorter than the length of a conventional Lehr, perhaps as short asabout 25 feet. If it is within a tunnel, the tunnel may be divided upinto a number of cooling zones each of which has a fan 300 whichsupplies shop air to an inlet 302 within the tunnel directing the airupstream. Upstream of the inlet is an exhaust 304 which discharges thecooling air from the tunnel. If there is no tunnel the fans will simplyblow cooling air at the bottles. When the bottles are sufficientlycooled they will be discharged from the conveyor for further processingwhich could include inspection and packing or filling.

1. A takeout/conveyor assembly for removing formed bottles from an I.S.machine having a blow station whereat a parison is blown in a blow moldwhich has a center line and cooled sufficiently so that a bottle will beformed and depositing the formed bottle on a conveyor comprising aconveyor extending parallel to the center line of the blow mold forconveying bottles away from the I.S. machine, and a takeout mechanismincluding a takeout arm for gripping at least one formed bottle,supporting means for supporting said takeout arm for displacement from afirst pick-up position whereat a formed bottle at the blow station canbe gripped, then to a second deadplate position, then to a thirdposition next to the conveyor and finally to a fourth position whereatthe takeout arm is located over the conveyor, displacement means fordisplacing said takeout arm from said first pick-up position to saidsecond deadplate position, displacing said takeout arm from said seconddeadplate position to said third position next to said conveyor, anddisplacing said takeout arm from said third position next to theconveyor to a fourth deposit position whereat the takeout arm is locatedover the conveyor, and means for operating the takeout to grip a bottlewhen the takeout is at the first pick-up position and for operating thetakeout to release a gripped bottle at said fourth deposit position.